Apparatus for intaglio printing.



R. T. JOHNSTON.

APPARATUS FOR INTAGLIO PRINTING. APPLIOATIONIPILED D30. 21, 190-1. nnnnwnn JAN. 2. 1913.

1,070,610. Patented Aug. 19, 1913;

UNITED srarrns ra rnn'r curios.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON, OF SCOTCH PLAINS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO WOOD & NATHAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

APPARATUS FOR INTAGLIO PRINTING.

Application filed December 21, 1907, Serial No. 407,594. Renewed January 2, 1913. Serial No. 739,900.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that l, Romain T. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scotch Plains, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for liitaglio Printing,

' of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for printing from intagliosurfaces.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for the employment of engraved intaglio surfaces for printing in a manner somewhat similar to that. now used for the best grade of lithography, to print upon ordinary rough paper sheets in such a way as greatly to simplify the apparatus used in lithography, and especially to preserve the sharpness of outline of the intagliomethod of printing, thus securing much clearer impmssions than is possible with any system means of transfer paper, a transfer fromv said stone or plate to a transfer cylinder, and a final transfer from the latter to the paper. At each of these steps, something of the original sharpness is lost and it is of course Well understood, that the original sharpness of a lithographic stone is not to be compared with that of an engraved intaglio plate. By this invention, only two transfers are made and the first of these is always directly from the original intaglio surface, so that the original sharpness is preserved.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings which shows a longitudinal sectional view, somewhat diagrammatic in form, of a press of the two-revolution type arranged for carrying out this invention.

The press is provided with a cylinder or mandrel 10 carrying an engraved intagho copper shell 11 which is shown as supplied with ink from an ordinary fountain l2 and ink roller 13 and cleaned by a doctor or cleaning blade H. Running in contact with the cylinder 10 and at the same circumferential speed, is an off-set. impression cylinder 15 provided with two reels 16. This cylinder .15 carries a transfer impression surface,

shown as in the form of a rubber blanket l6,

held closely in. contact with the cylinder 15 by the reels 16-16 with which the blanket is connected and by which it may be ad justed. A sheet-carrying impression cylinder 20 is mounted to run in contact with the rubber blanket and at the same circumferential speed. it is shown as of the form or r dinarily employed on a two-revolutitm press having grippers 21 and the usual eccentric 22 operated by a rod 23 from a lever which is controlled by a cam which is constructed to make one revohflonflto t-w g i'gvohltionsiof -thc infi ession cylinder and of the cylinders 10 and 15. By this means, obviously, the impression cylinder 20 is brought into contact with the blanket of the olf-set cylinder on alternate revolutions. The usual feed-board 30 and shooflies 3L or the like are indicated in the drawings. Gears 35, 3G, 37 and 38 are indicated for giving the desired rotary motion to the three cylinders.

It will be seen from this description, that a positive design may be engraved in the first instance on the copper plate 11 which is put in the press, and the design trans. ferred to the transfer surface or rubber sheet as anegative, fgom which it is again printed directly upon the paper. Therefore, only two transfers occur and each impression is' transferred from an. intaglio printing plate with all its sharpness instead of from a lithographic stone or aluminum plate, the design of which is constantly widening and growing more ragged and which in its origi-' nal form, is not as sharp in design as the engraved plate. This makes the device suitable for printing commercial work upon rough paper and capable not only of doing the work more economically, but of producing results much better than those now pro: duced by the best method of lithography whichhas been described above.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, I am aware that many modifications may be made Patented Aug. 19,1913.

' each...

"on its surface, means for inking and clean ing said shell, an offset cylinder located on the side of the first named cylinder opposite the inking and cleaning means, a transfer sheet held on saidcylinder and adapted to receive a negative impression from said shell, an impression cylinder for carr ing sheets into contact with the transfer s eet,

' *to receive a positive impression, means for rotating said cylinders at the same circumferential rate of speed, means for operating the transfer cylinder, and means operated by the last named means for moving the impression cylinder toward and from the transfer cylinder on alternate revolutions.

, v 2. In a --two-rev olution sheet printing press, the combination of a cylinder,'a copper shell thereon, having a positive design engraved on its surface, means for inkmg and cleaning said shell, an offset cylinder having a pair of reels thereon and located on the side of the first named cylinder opposite the inking and cleaning means, a transfer sheet held on said cylinder by said reels, adjustable by the reels, and adapted to receive a negative impression from said shell, an impression cylinder for carrying sheets into contact with the transfer sheet,

to receive a positive impressiommeans for rotating said cylinders at the same circumferential rate of speed, means for operating the transfer cylinder, and means operated by the 'means for operating the transfer cylinder for, moving the impression cylinder toward and from the transfer cylinder on alternate revolutions. I

I i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

HARRIET LINDSAY, Annm B.- WAL'rnRs. 

